IC Markets Asia Fundamental Forecast | 22 February 2024
What happened in the US session?
The Federal Reserve has released the minutes of the FOMC meeting that took place on 31st January. Fed officials signaled a reluctance for premature cuts. This coincided with the decision to maintain the key overnight borrowing rate at its current level. Fed has also altered the post-meeting statement that any cuts would be deferred until the rate-setting FOMC meeting.
What does it mean for the Asia Session?
The Dollar Index (DXY) opened lower at 103.903 at the Asia session. Gold is still ranging at the $2028 level. As Fed officials signaled a reluctance for premature cuts, meetings released by Fed have little effect on the DXY and GOLD.
The Dollar Index (DXY)
Key news events today
Unemployment Claims (1.30pm GMT)
Flash Services PMI (2.45pm GMT)
What can we expect from DXY today?
The Federal Reserve has released the minutes of the FOMC meeting that took place on 31st January where investors and traders will get further in-depth insights into the economic and financial conditions that influenced Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his fellow policymakers on their recent outlook on monetary policy. Fed officials signaled a reluctance for premature cuts. This coincided with the decision to maintain the key overnight borrowing rate at its current level. Fed has also altered the post-meeting statement that any cuts would be deferred until the rate-setting FOMC meeting. The Unemployment Claims will be released later today, any figures below the forecasted 217K will likely be a bullish catalyst for the Dollar Index. We could also expect the data for February Flash services PMI, figures greater than forecasted of 52.4 will likely boost the Dollar Index.
Central Bank Notes:
- The Federal Funds Rate target range remained unchanged at 5.25% to 5.50% for the fourth meeting in a row.
- The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2.0% over the longer run.
- Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace.
- Job gains have moderated since early last year but remain strong, and the unemployment rate has remained low.
- Inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated.
- In considering any adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. The Committee does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2.0%.
- In addition, the Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities, as described in its previously announced plans.
- Next meeting runs from 19 to 20 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bearish
Gold (XAU)
Key news events today
Unemployment Claims (1.30pm GMT)
Flash Services PMI (2.45pm GMT)
What can we expect from DXY today?
The Federal Reserve has released the minutes of the FOMC meeting that took place on 31st January where investors and traders will get further in-depth insights into the economic and financial conditions that influenced Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his fellow policymakers on their recent outlook on monetary policy. Fed officials signaled a reluctance for premature cuts. This coincided with the decision to maintain the key overnight borrowing rate at its current level. Fed has also altered the post-meeting statement that any cuts would be deferred until the rate-setting FOMC meeting. The Unemployment Claims will be released later today, any figures below the forecasted 217K will likely be a bearish catalyst for the spot Gold. We could also expect the data for February Flash services PMI, figures greater than forecasted of 52.4 will likely be a bearish catalyst for Gold.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Australian Dollar (AUD)
Key news events today
No key news events.
What can we expect from AUD today?
Wages in Australia advanced 4.0% in the third quarter of 2023 on an annualised basis. This was the highest reading since the first quarter of 2009 as wages in both the private and public sectors grew strongly.
Central Bank Notes:
- The RBA kept the cash rate target unchanged at 4.35%, marking the sixth pause out of the last seven board meetings.
- Inflation continues to ease in the December quarter but remains high at 4.1% YoY.
- The central forecasts are for inflation to return to the target range of 2 to 3% in 2025, and to the midpoint in 2026.
- The path of interest rates that will best ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable timeframe will depend upon the data and the evolving assessment of risks, and a further increase in interest rates cannot be ruled out.
- Next meeting is on 19 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Kiwi Dollar (NZD)
Key news events today
Retail Sales q/q (9.45pm GMT)
What can we expect from NZD today?
New Zealand’s trade deficit narrowed significantly to $0.3B in December from $1.2B in the previous month. Despite improvement in the trade deficit, exports fell 8.7% YoY due to lower sales of milk powder, butter, and cheese; casein and caseinates; and wood pulp and waste paper. Exports to major trading partners such as China, Australia and the US all declined. Should the slump in exports to major trading partners continue to grow, it could add downward pressure on the Kiwi.
Central Bank Notes:
- The Monetary Policy Committee kept the OCR unchanged at 5.50% for the fourth meeting in a row.
- The Committee is confident that the current level of the OCR is restricting demand. However, ongoing excess demand and inflationary pressures are of concern, given the elevated level of core inflation.
- If inflationary pressures were to be stronger than anticipated, the OCR would likely need to increase further.
- The Committee agreed that interest rates will need to remain at a restrictive level for a sustained period of time, so that consumer price inflation returns to target and to support maximum sustainable employment.
- Next meeting is on 28 February 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Japanese Yen (JPY)
Key news events today
No major news events.
What can we expect from JPY today?
Despite demand for the dollar easing this week, USD/JPY has managed to remain above 150.36 so far. With the Bank of Japan maintaining its ultra-dovish monetary policy stance, the Japanese yen continues to be depressed and provides lift for this currency pair.
Central Bank Notes:
- The Bank will continue with Quantitative and Qualitative Monetary Easing (QQE) with Yield Curve Control (YCC), aiming to achieve the price stability target of 2.0%, as long as it is necessary for maintaining that target in a sustainable and stable manner.
- The Bank of Japan decided on the following measures:
- YCC: Negative interest rate of -0.1% on policy-rate balances and purchase of Japanese government bonds to keep 10-year JGB yields at around 0% while regarding the upper bound of 1.0% for 10-year JGB yields as a reference in its market operations.
- Inflation expectations are expected to rise moderately toward the end of the projection period, with continued improvement in the output gap and changes in firms’ wage- and price-setting behaviour and in labour-management wage negotiations.
- Japan’s economy is likely to continue recovering moderately for the time being, supported by factors such as the materialization of pent-up demand, although it is expected to be under downward pressure stemming from a slowdown in the pace of recovery in overseas economies.
- Next meeting is on 19 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Weak Bullish
The Euro (EUR)
Key news events today
French Flash Services PMI (8.15am GMT)
French Flash Manufacturing PMI (8.15am GMT)
German Flash Manufacturing PMI (8.30am GMT)
Flash Services PMI (9.00am GMT)
What can we expect from EUR today?
Flash services PMI will be released throughout today. We could expect the French and German Flash Manufacturing and Services PMI to be released today. Also the Flash Services PMI for Euro will be released right after the French and German releases. We could expect volatility in the Euro today due to the high impact of new releases.
Central Bank Notes:
- The ECB kept the three key interest rates unchanged for a third consecutive meeting, keeping the main refinancing rate on hold at 4.50%.
- The incoming information has broadly confirmed its previous assessment of the medium-term inflation outlook.
- Aside from an energy-related upward base effect on headline inflation, the declining trend in underlying inflation has continued, and the past interest rate increases keep being transmitted forcefully into financing conditions.
- Tight financing conditions are dampening demand, and this is helping to push down inflation.
- The Governing Council will continue to follow a data-dependent approach to determining the appropriate level and duration of restriction.
- Next meeting is on 7 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Swiss Franc (CHF)
Key news events today
No major news events.
What can we expect from CHF today?
USD/CHF has pulled back from the 0.8800 level and has opened low at 0.8783.
Central Bank Notes:
- The SNB kept the policy rate unchanged at 1.75% for a second consecutive meeting in December.
- The inflation forecast puts average annual inflation at 2.1% for 2023, 1.9% for
2024 and 1.6% for 2025.
- GDP growth is likely to be weak in the coming quarters; subdued demand from abroad and the tighter financing conditions are having a dampening effect.
- Switzerland’s GDP is likely to grow by around 1% this year. For 2024, the SNB currently expects growth of between 0.5% and 1%.
- Next meeting is on 21 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Pound (GBP)
Key news events today
Flash Services PMI (9.30am GMT)
Flash Manufacturing PMI (9.30am GMT)
What can we expect from GBP today?
The Flash Manufacturing and Services PMI will be released today, a greater than forecasted data could boost the GBPUSD pair, and could potentially rise to the 1.26529 level.
Central Bank Notes:
- The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of 6-to-3 to maintain its Official Bank Rate at 5.25% for the fourth consecutive meeting.
- Two members preferred to increase the Bank Rate by 0.25% to 5.50% while one member preferred to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25% to 5.00%.
- CPI inflation remains well above the 2% target, with twelve-month CPI inflation increasing from 3.9% in November to 4.0% in December 2023 while wage growth has eased across a number of measures and is projected to decline further in coming quarters, although still elevated.
- This downside news has been broad-based, reflecting lower fuel, core goods and services price inflation.
- CPI inflation is projected to be 2.3% in two years’ time and 1.9% in three years.
- Next meeting is on 21 March 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
The Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Key news events today
Core Retail Sales (1.30pm GMT)
Retail Sales (1.30pm GMT)
What can we expect from CAD today?
Inflation in Canada continues to moderate lower as headline CPI eased from 3.4% to 2.9% in January while the core reading slowed from 2.6% to 2.4%, both on an annualised basis. This currency pair could remain elevated today, due to the high impact of new releases.
Central Bank Notes:
- The Bank of Canada held its target for the overnight rate at 5.0% for the fourth meeting in a row while continuing its policy of quantitative tightening.
- Canada’s economy has stalled since the middle of 2023 with real GDP forecasted to grow 0.8% in 2024 and 2.4% in 2025.
- The slowdown in demand is reducing price pressures in a broader number of CPI components, with CPI inflation expected to remain close to 3% in the first half of 2024 before gradually easing, returning to the target of 2% in 2025.
- The Governing Council is still concerned about risks to the outlook for inflation, particularly the persistence in underlying inflation, and wants to see further and sustained easing in core inflation and continues to focus on the balance between demand and supply in the economy, inflation expectations, wage growth, and corporate pricing behaviour.
- Next meeting is on 10 April 2024.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Medium Bullish
Oil
Key news events today
No key news events.
What can we expect from Oil today?
API announced on Wednesday that U.S. crude stockpiles saw a larger-than-anticipated rise last week, marking the second consecutive week of notable increases and intensifying attention on robust domestic production.
Following the report, Crude Oil WTI Futures, the benchmark for the United States, traded at $78.03 per barrel, having risen by 1.1% to $77.91 per barrel.
For the week ending February 16, U.S. crude inventories surged by approximately 7.2 million barrels, contrasting with the 8.5 million barrel build reported by the API for the previous week.
Next 24 Hours Bias
Weak Bullish
